Blog

Co-Founders

    “The work of YES Institute is very different from that of many non-profit organizations. The vision is crystal clear and the work is laser-focused on creating fundamental social change. Through this work lives are saved, families reunited and… Learn More

Martha Fugate

Founding Director We wanted to include everyone in conversations about keeping youth safe, so we built YES Institute on afoundation of open, inclusive dialogue. People have opinions about gender and orientation based on myths and stereotypes, and I see this… Learn More

Accreditations

State of Florida           Florida Board of Clinical Social Work, Marriage & Family Therapy, and Mental Health Counseling #50-1652 valid through 03/31/2027 Continuing Education (CEUs) LMHC LCSW LMFT           Florida Board of… Learn More

Workplace Trainings & Consultation

YES Institute Provides Consulting, Coaching & Technical Assistance Gender is now at the leading edge of policy debate in schools, workplaces, religious communities, and legal arenas posing challenges to organizations.  We bring organizations to the leading edge of gender and… Learn More

Educational Courses

YES Institute offers groundbreaking communication and educational courses guided by leading research and a spirit of inquiry. Our commitment is to create new ways for people to discover and view gender and orientation, while introducing a new context for people… Learn More

Who We Serve

Youth who are not supported at home, school, and in their communities are at increased risk for self-harm, depression, and suicide. YES Institute addresses the root causes of discrimination, harassment, and suicide by initiating authentic, purposeful dialogue and providing education… Learn More

Why We Exist

We aim to address the root causes of discrimination, harassment, and suicide by initiating authentic, purposeful dialogue and providing education on gender and orientation.  Consider these statistics: 50% of bullying incidents in elementary and middle school are based on gender and… Learn More

Press & Media

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE YES Institute Celebrates 30 Years of Impact with “Luminous Voices, Limitless Futures: Celebrating 30 Years” Miami, FL — [08/29/2025] — YES Institute, a South Florida nonprofit dedicated to preventing suicide and ensuring the healthy development of youth… Learn More

More Than 25 Years of Service

YES Institute began as a personal project in 1996 led by Connie Barden and Martha Fugate. Known then as Project YES, the two met with local South Florida community leaders and educators to understand what could be done to keep… Learn More